'I can’t understand why lads wouldn't want to hurl for their county': Eddie Brennan disappointed by Laois opt outs
Eddie Brennan has expressed his disappointment at the number of players opting out of hurling with Laois.
The county's new manager will have to make do without 2018 captain Ross King and club hurler of the year Ciaran Collier. Cahir Healy is also expected to switch to the football panel.
King was the county's top-scorer last year but after suffering a nasty facial injury in the Laois county final, he chose not to rejoin the panel. He claims the injury resulted from an intentional blow and that he was subsequently given "no respect, no protection".
"Ross has made his decision and that’s fair enough but there’s a lot of other lads out there not in here either," Brennan told Midlands 103 after their 1-18 to 2-23 Walsh Cup loss to Carlow yesterday.
"That’s something that definitely has to be looked at going forward. How do we change that?"
New Laois manager Eddie Brennan says he won't put a gun to anyone's head but he's been disappointed by players turning down call ups to the panel pic.twitter.com/GqrdzQYVs7
— Midlands 103 Sport (@MidlandsSport) December 17, 2018
Upon confirming Collier also turned down a call-up, Brennan added: "Ciaran opted not to come in. You can talk to lads all you want but to me it’s very disappointing.
"It’s something I just do not get. I just can’t understand why lads would not want to hurl for their county.
"To me if you excel with your club, there should be a drive and a grá to do that.
"I said it from the start when I came in here, it’s something that has to be challenged a little bit. That frustrates me. But if lads don’t want to come in, I said to anyone I spoke to, there was no gun to anyone’s head.
"There was certainly going to be no pressure from my end of things, I don’t think anyone should be begged to come in and play for their county.
"Like I said I’ll go back to the guys that are in here at the moment, I’ll work with them. They’ve given us honesty so far and I’d be more than happy with what we have at the moment.
"Yeah, you’d love to have all the best hurlers in Laois but I have the guys that are willing to roll up their socks and represent their county. That takes courage to come in and represent your county when that backdrop is there."
Brennan said he'll "wait and see" what dual star Healy's decision will be between the rival codes.
"I don’t know for 110% but the talk is that he’s leaning towards the football so it’s probably better to wait and see what happens there."
